The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begoniaxc3x97hiemalis, commercially known as Elatior Begonia, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Monellaxe2x80x99.
The new Begonia was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany, September, 1999, as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begoniaxc3x97hiemalis xe2x80x98Carnevalxe2x80x99, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/641,719. The new Begonia was observed as a single plant in a group of flowering plants of the parent cultivar. The selection of this plant was based on its unique flower coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia by cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar xe2x80x98Monellaxe2x80x99 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Monellaxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Monellaxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Begonia:
1. Compact and upright plant habit.
2. Double red and yellow bi-colored flowers that are held above the foliage.
3. Excellent postproduction longevity.
Plants of the new cultivar are most similar to plants of the parent cultivar. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany, plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of the cultivar Carneval primarily in flower color as flowers of plants of the new Begonia have a more intense red coloration. In addition, plants of the new cultivar have larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Carneval.